At least 16 people have been reportedly killed following an early morning attack by suspected armed herders on Nobi community in Otukpo Local Government Area of Benue State.
The attackers were said to have invaded the community between 3:30 a.m. and 4:30 a.m. on Sunday, opening fire indiscriminately and forcing residents to flee for safety.
The killings sparked outrage across the area, with scores of youths and women staging protests in Otukpo town. Demonstrators marched through major streets, including the palace of the Och’Idoma, while barricading key routes such as the Otukpo–Enugu and Otukpo–Makurdi highways.
A resident, Comfort Inalegwu, said she lost her sister and two children in the attack, alleging that the victims were shot inside their home.
“At least 16 people were killed this morning. My sister and her two children were among those killed after the attackers entered their house and opened fire. Their bodies have been deposited at the Otukpo General Hospital morgue,” she said.
She added that several other residents sustained injuries, while many remained unaccounted for after the attack.
Inalegwu warned that women in the community would continue their protests and resist the conduct of elections in the area unless authorities take decisive steps to end the recurring attacks in Idoma communities.
Efforts to reach the Chairman of Otukpo Local Government Area, Maxwell Ogiri, for comments were unsuccessful as of the time of filing this report.
Reacting to the incident, Benue State Governor Hyacinth Alia condemned the killings, describing the attack as a barbaric assault on innocent lives and a threat to the peace of the state.
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In a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Tersoo Kula, the governor said the attackers reportedly invaded Akpachi Village in Akpa, Otukpo Local Government Area, while residents were asleep, killing several people and leaving many others injured.
Alia said the latest violence was an attempt to undermine the progress of the state and assured residents that his administration would not allow communities to become killing fields.
He directed security agencies to intensify surveillance, strengthen patrols in vulnerable communities and border areas, collaborate with neighbouring states, and ensure those responsible are apprehended and prosecuted.
The governor also appealed to residents to remain vigilant and support security agencies with timely and credible intelligence to prevent further attacks.
Meanwhile, the spokesperson for the Benue State Police Command, DSP Udeme Edet, could not be reached for comments at the time of this report.